Assistant Principal Resume: Examples and Tips
Assistant principals handle school management, overseeing the implementation of school policies, monitoring and supervising administrative tasks, helping to maintain student conduct, identifying instruction objectives, and providing support to teachers. This role requires proficiency in budgeting, organization and computer software, along with interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
To create a professional resume to get you the right assistant principal role, refer to our resume examples and tips:
Table of Contents
Featured Resume Example: Assistant Principal
Name : Sarah Milton
Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Dedicated Assistant Principal with strong leadership skills. Exercises honed competencies in development, implementation and execution of performance-enhancing programs. Outstanding skills in parent communication, conflict resolution and staff management. Known for consistently supporting faculty and staff as advocate leader.
WORK HISTORY
Company Name, City, State
Assistant Principal| 09/2016- Current
- Reports directly to principal; oversees administrative functions such as schedule management and protocols for orientation, registration and related activities.
- Fields requests from students, press, parents and all others contacting principals to maintain high-quality performance objectives and standards.
- Encourages interdepartmental and cross-functional teams collaboration in development and supports of student activities, programs and lessons with weekly announcements.
Company Name, City, State
Vice Principal| 08/2012- 06/2016
- Monitored and evaluated educational programs to maintain high-quality performance objectives and standards, during detention and Saturday school sessions.
- Administered standardized tests to evaluate student performance and progress; contributing to raising school’s average state test scores by 10% during tenure.
- Encouraged the development and support of student activities, programs and lessons with four vice principals, each assigned to work with a quarter of student body.
Company Name, City, State
Teacher| 01/2008- 08/2012
- Graded papers, supervised students during recess periods, kept students on-task with proactive behavior modification and positive reinforcement strategies.
SKILLS
- Policy development and enforcement
- Common Core learning standards in Science
- Educational staff supervision
- Over ten years of Innovative Lesson Planning
- Creative Questioning
- Social-Emotional Learning training
- Policy Development and Enforcement
- Group Facilitation and Presentations
EDUCATION
City, State
Master of Arts : Education Administration
Top 4 Characteristics of a Best-in-Class Assistant Principal Resume
- Summary Explain what makes you a great candidate for the specific assistant principal job, in a few sentences. Lead off with your current job title and most relevant experience. For example: “Accomplished assistant principal with 5+ years of experience in elementary school leadership.” You should state a notable accomplishment or two such as “Awarded 2019 Associate Principal of the Year Award from the NYC Board of Education.”
- Skills Feature both practical skills (such as schedule creation, meeting administration, knowledge of specific subjects, and proficiency with specific software such as Gradelink) and soft skills (time management, leadership, problem-solving and strong communication skills).
- Work history Show how you’ve used your skills to make a positive impact in your previous jobs, with three to five bullet points for each employer describing your achievements and major responsibilities. Look to quantify your accomplishments with numbers and metrics when possible. For example: “Implemented novel evaluation methods for teachers which contributed to a 16% increase in graduation rate over last two years.”
- Education List your highest qualification along with your subject specializations. Include any coursework, training programs, internships and certifications that are related to your work, such as a School Administrator and Supervisor (SAS) certification, or a Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) certificate.
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Find the Right Template for Your Resume
Use one of our employer-ready resume templates as a foundation for your resume:
Refined
Simple yet beautiful, this template projects a professional image, using clear dividing lines and capitalized section headers.
Centered
This minimalistic design emphasizes your summary statement, with a dash of color in the header borders for a unique look.
Bold
As the name implies, this layout leaves a strong impression, thanks to the combination of colors in the job applicant’s name. Section headings are arranged on the left, making for easy navigation.
Pick from a complete assortment of free resume templates here.
Do’s and Don’ts for Your Resume
- DO quantify your achievements. Writing “coordinated daily school operations for primary and secondary classes” might be informative, but it’s not nearly as informative as “Coordinated daily operations for primary and secondary education in school of 3,000 students.” Always look to provide a detail or number that shows how effective you are..
- DO emphasize soft skills. Successful assistant principals need to be able to relate well with others, and bring strong personal values to work. Soft skills describe both these categories. Feature traits such as excellent communication and interpersonal skills, empathy, leadership, patience, problem-solving or a supportive attitude. Make sure you also feature work experiences that show you know how to deploy these skills (e.g., “Collaborated with faculty to institute improved scheduling”).
- DO aim for a concise length. In most cases, you won’t need to go beyond two pages for your resume. To stay within limits, emphasize achievements rather than mundane job duties, and use bullet points and short phrases to describe your credentials rather than long sentences. Limit your work history to the past 10 years.
- DON’T forget to proofread before submitting your resume. Both recruiters and the applicant tracking systems (ATS) they use to scan resumes can ding you for simple grammatical mistakes and typos. Always double-check your resume before submitting it, and confirm that all your content is accurate. You can also use our Resume Builder to avoid these minor mistakes.
- DON’T go overboard on your resume design. Unless you’re a true graphic design wiz (and are applying for a graphic design job), it’s better to avoid using multiple fonts and fancy graphics in your resume. Stick to a clean and straightforward layout, with appropriate margins and headers to make the navigation easy for resume-scanning software like ATS.
- DON’T use passive language. Never begin your sentences with weak phrases like “was tasked with” or “responsible for.” Instead, strengthen your statements, and make yourself look more confident and competent, by using strong action verbs like “developed,” “monitored,” “supervised,” “addressed,” “planned,” “executed” and “managed.” For example: “Supervised a team of education professionals” or “Developed and managed college-themed academic competitions.”
Assistant Principal Resume FAQs
- 1. What are some skills that fit an assistant principal resume?
- 2. How should I format my resume?
- 3. How should I craft my resume to take the next step forward in my career?
- 4. How do you incorporate relevant keywords in your resume?
- 5. What are some examples of training and certifications that fit an assistant principal resume?
1. What are some skills that fit an assistant principal resume?
| Practical skills: | Soft skills: |
| Education administration | Attention to detail |
| Curriculum planning | Excellent communication skills |
| Teacher development | Interpersonal skills |
| School safety procedures and policies | Supervising ability |
| Teacher training | Leadership ability |
| Activity planning | Strong organization skills |
| Program management | Public relations |
| School data evaluation | Positive approach |
| Lesson planning | Self-motivated |
| Student instruction | Empathetic |
| Teacher and staff hiring | Supportive and kind |
| Data interpretation | Diplomacy |
| Faculty, student, and parent relations | Confident |
| Knowledge of school operations | Problem-solving skills |
| Ability to manage budget and personnel | Decision-making |
| Creative | |
| Good judgment | |
| Compassion | |
| Flexibility | |
| Adaptability | |
| Determination | |
| Goal-oriented |
| Practical skills: |
| Education administration |
| Curriculum planning |
| Teacher development |
| School safety procedures and policies |
| Teacher training |
| Activity planning |
| Program management |
| School data evaluation |
| Lesson planning |
| Student instruction |
| Teacher and staff hiring |
| Data interpretation |
| Faculty, student, and parent relations |
| Knowledge of school operations |
| Ability to manage budget and personnel |
| Soft skills: |
| Attention to detail |
| Excellent communication skills |
| Interpersonal skills |
| Supervising ability |
| Leadership ability |
| Strong organization skills |
| Public relations |
| Positive approach |
| Self-motivated |
| Empathetic |
| Supportive and kind |
| Diplomacy |
| Confident |
| Problem-solving skills |
| Decision-making |
| Creative |
| Good judgment |
| Compassion |
| Flexibility |
| Adaptability |
| Determination |
| Goal-oriented |
2. How should I format my resume?
For this role, the chronological format is a suitable choice, as it focuses on your work achievements in reverse chronological order, with your most recent job experience first. If you want to emphasize a blend of skills and accomplishments, choose the combination format. If you’re new to the profession or lack experience, go with a functional format that showcases your skills and education.
3. How should I craft my resume to take the next step forward in my career?
To move ahead to a position such as principal, consider working on the following:
- Examples of how you’ve implemented new learning techniques and processes in the classroom to improve student performance.
- Examples of how you’ve gained staff approval and support through solid administration.
- Relevant coursework and certificates in related areas, such as a Master’s in Education or principal certification.
- Show how you’ve kept up to date in best practices for curriculum development, school policies, and administrative tasks.
4. How do you incorporate relevant keywords in your resume?
As we mentioned earlier, many recruiters now ATS to filter out resumes based on the right keywords and phrases. Make sure you read the job description carefully and incorporate keywords that are appropriate for the assistant principal role such as “data analysis,” or “takes ownership of the performance of students, teachers, and the climate of the school.” Address these phrases with skills and experiences from your own background that fit. For example, you could write about a work experience in which you set the tone for overall school success, or list “data analysis” as one of your skills. Our article How to Use Keywords Effectively provides additional advice.
5. What are some examples of training and certifications that fit an assistant principal resume?
In your education section, feature an advanced degree in education (e.g., a master’s degree), as well as a National Board Teacher Certification that demonstrates your ability to teach a specific subject. Additional coursework or training in areas such as distance learning, academic technology, curriculum development and educational psychology can further enhance this section.
Pair Your Resume with a Matching Cover Letter
